When The Sun Rises
by Smart-Lazy-And-Always-Crazy
Summary: This is a one-shot kind of NaruSasu thing. Summaries suck. just read please. Set at the time in the manga after Itachi and Sasuke fight. different ending than the manga


**_XD Hello everybody XD_**

**_For those who dont know me, (which is pretty much everyone) i shall be known as Smart-Lazy-And-Always-Crazy. and that is pretty much what i am..._**

**_ok... onto the story. i was sitting in Maths, (boring stupid maths) and i wasn't doing anything interesting so i started this little one-shot. i like it, and i hope you like it. If you do, or even if you dont, please tell me. I love feedback on stories._**

**_Its a one-shot implied NaruSasu... well kind-of. anyway, read to find out more._**

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A lone figure stood, watching as the hidden village of Konoha slowly woke up.  
His blonde, sun kissed hair waved softly in the gentle wind. His opal blue eyes shimmered as the morning light caught the tears silently sliding down his scarred cheeks.  
Every now and then he would glance over to one side and stare out over the village walls. But never once in the morning glow did he move from his spot upon the Yondaime's face.

Sakura sighed. She had gone to wake her team mate up and make sure he was ready for today's mission, but as was usual lately, he wasn't there.  
She walked up the steep path at the back of the mountain. She had found out early in this game of (cat and mouse) to come from behind, or else he might run.  
Once at the top, the pink-haired medic stopped and stood watching her friend. It hurt her to see him like this. She was just getting used to the bubble of energy that was Naruto. And now _**that**_ had to happen.

Sakura walked softly up behind the ninja. He didn't give any signs that he knew she was there but she knew he knew. And he knew she knew he knew.  
That was how they stood for quite a while. Watching the sun rise, and the hidden village of Konoha rise slowly with it.

After what seemed like an eternity, the blonde spoke.  
"It feels like it was just yesterday when the village said goodbye. And now look at them. Going about like there was nothing wrong. Nothing missing. How can they do it?" He clenched his fists in frustration. "Shouldn't they still be mourning? Did he mean nothing to them?!"

Sakura felt her heart breaking. This once happy, care-free teen was now burdened with so much heartache. She remembered the day they found his body. She still remembered comforting the blonde as he confessed to her.

**-.-Flashback-.-**

"No" Naruto shook his head. "That can't be him. It just can't. He won! It's over! He won! Now he can come home!"

Kakashi looked at the blonde as he bent over the corpse.  
"Sakura." He muttered quietly. Sakura nodded through her own tears and pulled Naruto off. "Take him away please. You can mourn together. Away from here." He didn't say it in a mean way, but Naruto looked at him as if he had.

"NO! NO! HE ISN'T GONE! NO! HE'S NOT! No!... no…"  
Kakashi looked away as Sakura used her massive strength to forcefully remove Naruto from the body. He didn't like to see the Blonde in such a state, but he also didn't want them to see the tears in the corner of his visible eye.

Sakura heaved the squirming teen over to the nearest clearing. Putting him down so his back was resting against a huge oak tree, she leant next to him.

Mutters of "No, he isn't gone", and "He was going to come home" came from Naruto. Sakura just sat there, listening to the mutterings, and shedding a few of her tears. After a while, Naruto leaned over to her.

"Sakura-chan. Why are you crying?" He asked innocently.

Sakura looked up in surprise. "Naruto, you saw it. He's not coming back. Not this time. I'm sorry."

More tears spilled out the corners of her eyes, and they widened in surprise as she felt herself being pulled into a hug and something wet on her shoulder. The Number One Most Surprising Knucklehead Ninja was sobbing softly on her shoulder. His grip slowly loosened and he collapsed against her. She braced herself in time so they wouldn't both fall over.

"Naruto?" she asked softly, and curiously. The sobbing just continued. Then through the sobs came an answer.

"I couldn't save him. I wasn't strong enough. I wasn't good enough for him!" He pounded on Sakura's chest with his fists, but she didn't mind. She wanted to help the broken boy.

"I'm sorry Sakura-chan." Came a soft sentence, barely a whisper. Sakura's eyes softened.

"What do you mean Naruto."

He lifted his head so his face was level with hers.  
"I think," he paused and looked away. "I think, I loved him."

Sakura paused. She was over him, and they both knew that. So why was he apologizing?

"I thought that I was running after him for you. All those times I told myself that. But after a while, I realized you didn't need him anymore. And then I found that _**I**_ needed him. Me. Not you. Not anyone. I was being greedy. I wanted him for myself. And I was never going to stop until I got him back." He starting crying again and Sakura pulled him into a giant hug. She rocked back and forth like a mother and her child. She didn't try to say anything, or comfort him in any other way.

'This would be enough,' She told herself. 'This will be enough for now'

**-.-End Flashback-.-**

Sakura lifted her arms up and wrapped them around his body.

"They might forget. But I know you will never forget. And that's what really counts." Same old routine. She hoped that one day he would finally be able to live with the fact that he was never going to walk with the living again. He would never be able to. "Just think. Wherever he is now, he is happy. And at peace. He would wish the same for you. He would hope that you would accomplish your goal and show the world that Uzumaki Naruto is most defiantly _not_ a demon, and in fact the greatest shinobi that ever was."  
Sakura smiled as the corners of his mouth twitched upwards in a sort of smiling action It wasn't much. But it was progress. Naruto hardly ever smiled anymore.

Naruto crossed his arms in front of him as Sakura released him from her embrace. He liked this daily routine. Everyday they would stand next to each other, talk about him, and his memory, and then Kakashi would turn up. Right on time. It was the only thing he was on time for. Ever.

"Yo!" came the greeting of the silver haired jounin, as he walked up on the other side of Naruto.  
The two chuunin looked over at him and gave a smile. He offered one back.

"I see we've made progress." He laughed.  
Naruto looked back over the now fully awake village.

"Thank you." He said softly. Kakashi and Sakura looked at him questioningly.

"For what?" Sakura asked.

"For always being here. For looking after me. For caring."

Kakashi's visible eye smiled softly. "You don't need to thank us Naruto. We care, so we'll always be here. For as long as you need us."

Naruto started to tear up again. He wiped them away with the back of his hand.

"I know. I still need to say it." He tensed a bit as he felt sudden warmth on either side of him, but relaxed as he heard the familiar rhythmic breathing of his two closest friends.

"Thank you." He whispered once more.

-.-

_Perhaps I will see you again. But until then, I hope I can make you proud, Sasuke-kun. Rest Well._

_For When The Next Sun Rises, I Shall Be Waiting, As I have Been Waiting Since You Left._

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-.-

_Ok thank you for reading! (for those who did XP)_

_I would love to hear your feedback so since you're finished, could you kindly review and tell me what you think._

_(hehe i fixed it up... hopefully XDD)_

I thank you kindly. XD

-.-Smart-Lazy-And-Always-Crazy-.-


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